TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents NADIR’S ZENITH #1, ON THE VERGE - SHADOWS, EXPOSED #1 (of 4)

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EXPOSED #1 (of 4)
Writer: Victor Wright
Artist: Nino Cajayon
Price: $1.99
Page Count: 28 Pages
Digital Release Date: 7/17/13
Age Rating: 18+ Only
BUY IT HERE

What starts off as your typical Joe Kubert D-Day invasion story quickly turns into a blood curdling tale of Easy Company facing a coven of monster children…hungry for blood!

As if the horrors of war wasn’t enough for these poor soldiers, they now face the supernatural!

Great classic war comics art here coupled with the horror makes for a fun and not quite gruesome yet book. 
Will 

 

 

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for August 7, 2013

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COMICS

 

Nerd prom aka Boston Comic Con is over but we’re still in our costumes! J. Michael Straczynski introduces the Cowl and his underling Flyboy—but will Flyboy get to come out of the Cowl’s shadow, or will he forever be the second fiddle in Sidekick #1 from Image. … Issue #1 was so funny and weird that even the Punisher has his sites set on The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #2 by Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber. … In G.I. Joe: Cobra Files #5 we have new Joe Clockspring listening to Tomax’s love-life advice. Never take advice from an evil twin determined to rule the world! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

 

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

 

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

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TUE 8/6/13 - MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS
EARLY EVENING SHOW:

LeaguePodcast Presents:
Musiquestria Tour - 8 Brony Musicians - All Ages $10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show *NOTE: 5:30pm Doors


Silva Hound
F3nning
Bejoty
Tarby
Poni1Kenobi
Replacer
Donn DeVore
Automatic Jack


TUE
8/6/13 U: EARLY EVENING SHOW: LeaguePodcast Presents: Musiquestria Tour - 8 Brony Musicians - All Ages $10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show *NOTE: 5:30pm Doors


MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS
472 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge MA 02139
mideastclub.com | ticketweb.com | leaguepodcast.com


YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdQ99WJahlc

http://www.musiquestria.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Musiquestria

http://www.youtube.com/Musiquestria

http://igg.me/at/musiquestria

https://twitter.com/Musiquestria

“Musiquestria is a month-long pony music tour spanning the entirety of the United States.”

Musiquestria is a month-long pony music tour spanning the entirety of the United States, from Everfree Northwest in Seattle, WA to cities in the New England area. During these four weeks we hope to visit as many major cities as possible across the country, bringing incredible live performances of some of the community’s most talented musicians to you.

Bronies have already infultrated so much of pop culture. This first-of-its-kind tour will take us to the next level! If this series of epic events are successful, this tour will become an annual event bringing up-and-coming brony musicians right across North America and into your home towns!

TICKETS

FACEBOOK EVENT

mideastclub.com | ticketweb.com | leaguepodcast.com


MEETUP!

BOSTON COMIC CON NEWS ROUND-UP! at FORCES OF GEEK

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BOSTON COMIC CON NEWS ROUND-UP!

Report by Stefan Blitz and Clay N Ferno

Rumor has it that Boston Comic Con doubled in size this past weekend, which comes to no surprise to the attendees who found themselves packed like sardines in a newer, larger venue, The World Seaport Convention Center.

Postponed from April following the Boston Marathon bombings, the 2013 Boston Comic Con has become a rarity among conventions, a show which primarily focuses on comics.  This year, there were several media guests including voice artist Billy West, The Walking Dead’s Laurie Holden,True Blood’s Kristen Bauer, and The Hobbit’s Aidan Turner and Dean O’Gorman.  But these guests were kept apart from the regular high profile comic guests who were mixed among the self publishers, artists and dealers.  Only cosplayer Yaya Han was mixed among the comic-centric guests who included the unquestionable star of the con, writer Scott Snyder, who’s name seemed to be mentioned every five minutes over the speakers (to be fair, you needed a ticket to Snyder’s table which was to eliminate the long lines a bit and try and stay a bit organized).

Among the guests were George Perez, Mike Mignola, Neal Adams, Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, Scott Snyder, Mark Bagley, Bill Willingham, Brian Azzarello, Nate Bellegarde, Buzz, Tony Daniel, Jim Calafiore, Howard Chaykin, Mike Choi, Ming Doyle, Joe Eisma, Agnes Garbowska, Michael Golden, Keron Grant, Paul Gulacy, Cully Hamner, Phil Jimenez, Dave Johnson, Barry Kitson, Aaron Lopresti, David Mack, Ed McGuinness, Terry Moore, Steve Niles, James O’Barr, David Petersen, Brandon Peterson, Joe Quinones, Khary Randolph, Tom Raney, Amy Reeder, Don Rosa, Craig Rousseau, Paul Ryan, Tim Sale, Alex Saviuk, Brian Stelfreeze, William Stout, Frank Tieri, Tim Townsend, Arthur Suydam, Dexter Vines, Anthony Del Col, Lee Weeks, Maris Wicks, Charles Paul Wilson III, Dean Yeagle, Chrissie Zullo, and hundreds more in the BCC Artist’s Alley.

One of the longest and steadiest lines throughout the weekend thanks mostly (although not entirely) to younger readers was for the Adventure Time team of Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb.  

Publishers IDW and Boom! were on hand, as were IDW Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Chris Ryall, Co-Publisher of DC Entertainment Dan DiDio, and DC Comics Art Director Mark Chiarello.

Forces of Geek’s Stefan Blitz and Clay N Ferno each moderated two panels and could be found walking the floor chatting it up with various guests.

Here’s some of the news that leaked out from the show.
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Triple Shot: BATMAN INCORPORATED #13, BATMAN ANNUAL #2, IT GIRL AND THE ATOMICS #12

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Two very different but special Batman titles come our way this week as Grant Morrison scratches a seven year itch with the Dark Knight and the New 52 celebrates two years of Scott Snyder’s Batman in Batman Annual #2. Over at Image, from the pages of Madman, It Girl and the Atomics ends a 12 issue run.

BATMAN INCORPORATED #13
WRITER: Grant Morrison
ART: Chris Burnham
Publication Date: July 31, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194130642101341
Buy it HERE

It is the epic conclusion of Grant Morrison’s run on Batman! He gave us Damian Wayne and took him away. He put a mirror up to all versions of The Dark Knight including the disturbed Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, brought Bruce Wayne back to life after being killed by Darkseid in Final Crisis and here had assembled pre-New 52 a globe spanning army of Batman associates called Batman, Inc. 

Those who have been enjoying the book from Morrison’s polarizing run may also have read his treatise on superheroes and Batman in Supergods: Our World in the Age of the Superhero. The book explores why Morrison has such a natural feel for the history of the DCU and our relationship to superheroes as modern gods. 

A sword fight between Talia and Batman comments on the medium and the series conclusion by reading the Talia’s dialogue at least one of three ways. “Your son lies dead and buried! The line! Of Wayne! Cancelled!” or “Batman! Is! Dead!” versus “Batman! Is! Cancelled!”

All of which Batman replies “No. Not Yet.” — implying through flashbacks that the icon will never die. “It never ends”, “It probably never will.”

This issue surpasses his final Superman comic (for the time being, at least), Action Comics #17. Batman deals with the loss of his Robin and son by way of Talia Al Ghul, Damian Wayne in a final confrontation in the Batcave co-starring a Batwoman, Jason Todd (in Knight armor), Jim Gordon and Alfred. 

Chris Burnham’s art is amazing once again, and hope to see him on more DC books.
Batman Inc., spanning both timelines will be missed in my nearly monthly rotation, all of the trade paperbacks in both timelines are highly recommended. Morrison gets the evergreen qualities of Batman and his family. All are worth a re-read for bizarre call outs to Silver Age easter eggs and comments on comic books themselves.

[READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: BOSTON COMIC CON WITH NICK KANIEFF (PART 2)

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 CONTINUED FROM PART ONE ( HERE! ) 

Screen Shot 2013-08-01 at 11.02.22 AM

Boston Comic Con has been rescheduled for this weekend, August 3-4, at The Seaport World Trade Center. Founder Nick Kanieff joins us for the epic conclusion of our two part interview (Part One HERE) about the challenges of moving this great independent comic book show and the incredible growth Boston Con has seen since its first years.

The Boston comics community was looking forward to the show in April, and now are even more ready to get together this summer as a celebration of comic books and pop culture at the rescheduled date and venue.

DIGBOSTON: We have portfolio reviews, cosplay contests. Is there anything you are looking forward to as an event organizer?
NICK KANIEFF: The ongoing joke is that as the organizer I never get to enjoy my own show. I’m really excited this year about the original art auction. We had our first art auction last year and a portion of the proceeds goes to the Mike Wieringo Foundation, a scholarship for aspiring comic book artists to attend a program at the Savannah College of Art & Design. Our first art auction was very successful.

This year we are still donating to that particular charity and we are also donating to The One Fund.

Once we put that out there to the artist’s community, the support was overwhelming. People that would not normally donate to an art auction—there aren’t that many of them in the comic book convention world (Heroes Con, Baltimore Comic Con, and us)—probably because we are the three conventions that are considered more comic book purist and comic art driven shows. Mike Mignola(Hellboy) said “I am putting a piece of original art at your auction.” That’s gigantic. Mike Mignola’s huge and his art goes for tons of money. Everybody is stepping up to the plate, so I have a feeling the art auction is particularly huge this year.

The Amazing Screw-On Head - Mike Mignola

The Amazing Screw-On Head - Mike Mignola

We have the costume contest, every year that gets bigger and bigger and bigger. The cosplay community keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

I’ve been to Anime Boston and I scratch my head because it’s all cosplay. It’s a social event. There’s not a lot going on, but it is a huge social event.

It’s mindblowing to me how big the cosplay community really is. That’s always exciting. 
We have IDW showing up as a publisher this year. That’s pretty cool. We’ve got a Magic the Gathering tournament going on.

DC Comics and IDW will be doing portfolio reviews for you aspiring comic book artists out there. We’ve got our exclusive Boston Comic Con t-shirt by Tim Sale. We have our exclusive My Little Pony Boston Comic Con variant comic (Agnes Garbowska) – limited to 1000 copies.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: BOSTON COMIC CON WITH NICK KANIEFF (PART 1)

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Boston Comic Con has been rescheduled for this weekend, August 3-4, at The Seaport World Trade Center. Founder Nick Kanieff joins us for a two part interview about the challenges of moving this great independent comic book show and the incredible growth Boston Con has seen since its first years. The Boston comics community was looking forward to the show in April, and now are even more ready to get together this summer as a celebration of comic books and pop culture at the rescheduled date and venue.

 

DIGBOSTON: Can you tell me how you started running this show?
NICK KANIEFF: We had our first show in 2007. I had been a collector most of my life. I got to a point where I decided to sell my collection. I had some good friends that ran a comic book store, I asked them the best way to liquidate the collection, they suggested a combination of eBay and going to Cons and setting up as a vendor. There is a little show that’s been run here for 15 years. I set up there, was selling my comics and I noticed that it was a small show and the vendors were unhappy. It wasn’t what I remember as a kid. I remember there was an electricity in the air. It was crowded with people, it was colorful. It was a huge trading floor, it was a stock exchange with so much excitement. I started poking around, how come Boston doesn’t have a major comic book convention? No one could give me a good common sense answer to that question.

If I could start a show and bring back the magic, the allure, the electricity that I felt as a kid, then this thing can go through the roof.

I did just that. I started the show in 2007 at the Back Bay Events Center with 900 attendees. Three-four times the amount of the existing show, that had been there for 15 years.

The show has gone from 900 people to last year’s 10,000. We moved from Back Bay Events Center to The Hynes. Unfortunately, the Boston Marathon tragedy happened and we postponed and rescheduled to The Seaport. Our estimated attendance for 2013 is between 12-15,000 people.

It’s just gotten bigger and better and we are now nationally recognized and ranked and a show people come to from all over the country.

We’re putting Boston back on the map as a major city that has a major comic book convention for fans that deserve it. Boston deserves a well-run, big comic book convention. We’ve hopefully given that to them. My goal at the end of the day is to put on the best show that I can. The way I know that I’m successful is if the fans, the vendors, and the artists all walk away saying we had a great time, a lot of fun, we made some money and that was the best show I’ve ever been too.

I just want to make it bigger and bigger and better.

 

That’s great. I’ve been going since 2009, and each of the Cons keeps getting bigger and bigger — to the benefit of the Con. There was plenty of space, and lots of happy people last year. I have just as good a time at Boston as I do at New York.
That’s the barometer, when a fan like yourself says that, I know we are doing our job right.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

 

 

HEY…PART 2 is HERE!

TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents THE HAMMER OF ARGUS #1, LOVE IS A BURNING THING #1 and ROCKET QUEEN AND THE WRENCH #1

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There’s an easy to pronounce mighty hammer in this heroes’ book set in Greece with The Hammer of Argus, plus a bad boy super-soldier in Love is a Burning Thing. The Zoom Family hosts Jamie Baldwin for the summer, will he get his own armored adventures in Rocket Queen and the Wrench?

The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year. Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixologycurates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.

THE HAMMER OF ARGUS #1
Writer: Ernesto Lopez de Victoria
Artist: Christopher Nelson
Price: $1.99
Page Count: 27 pages
Imprint: Bearmoon Comics
Digital Release Date: 5/15/13
Age Rating: 17+ only
BUY IT HERE

Rendered on a computer in a unique and colorful CGI style is this great foray into mashing up mythology and comics—a tradition nearly as old as the medium!

The thief Brutus finds his way into the ancient forge of Argus the Cyclops.

For fans of Thor, Hercules, Percy Jackson and fun stories of the Olympian Gods. The art is the standout for this book, the 3D rendering makes for larger than life storytelling and great action.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for July 31, 2013

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COMICS

 

ZOMG! Boston Comic Con is finally here. Check out our coverage in the paper and online at DigBoston.com! Friend of The League Jamal Igle celebrates 20 years in the industry with his successful YA Kickstarter graphic novel Molly Danger! Molly battles Supermechs! … Why do we keep picking Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerard’s spyfy action military procedural The Activity? It’s too good! The Activity #14 is out this week. … Cullen Bunn is making the best spider-stories every month, over in Venom, #38 stars the symbiote and Flash Thompson and snoopy reporter Katy Kiernan. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

 

Boston Comic Con!
New Location - Seaport World Trade Center. SAT August 3 and Sunday August 4

 



SAT 8/3 - LUCKY’S LOUNGE (6-9PM):
LeaguePodcast Boston Comic Con After-Party 4.1
Facebook Event
 
SAT 8/3 - BOSTON COMIC CON PANEL - Neal Adams’ Secrets of The Silver Age - 12pm–12:45pm (MOD: Stefan Blitz, Forces of Geek)
Facebook Event
SAT 8/3 - BOSTON COMIC CON PANEL - Writing Comics - 5pm-5:45pm: Steve Niles, Frank Tieri, Tom Sniegoski  (MOD: Stefan Blitz, Forces of Geek)
SUN 8/4 - BOSTON COMIC CON - ALL AGES COMICS PANEL - Waterfront Room - All Ages Comics - 11am-11:45am Shelli Paroline, Don Rosa, Maris Wicks  (MOD: Clay N. Ferno, DigBoston)
SUN 8/4 - BOSTON COMIC CON - MIGHTY MARVEL PANEL - Marvel Comics - Mark Bagley, Mike Choi, David Mack, Brandon Peterson (MOD: Clay N. Ferno, DigBoston)

Thanks to you from your pals at LeaguePodcast, Forces of Geek and Boston Comic Con.

TUE 8/6 - @Musiquestria ‪#‎Brony‬ Musicians - All Ages - *NOTE: 5:30pm Doors ‪#‎MYLITTLEPONY‬ ‪#‎BRONIES ‪#‎MLP‬

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BLOGGERS: 

Picks of the week appreciated! Feel free to ask me any questions/requests. Thanks for your continued support.

Post- BOSTON COMIC-CON, brony meetup at Middle East. 

All Ages - *NOTE: 5:30pm Doors

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
Musiquestria is a month-long pony music tour spanning the entirety of the United States. LEAGUE PODCAST presents this first ever tour of BRONY Musicians coming to the Middle East Upstairs on Tuesday, August 6, 2013. Early Evening All Ages Show.
Musiquestria is a month-long pony music tour spanning the entirety of the United States, from Everfree Northwest in Seattle, WA to cities in the New England area. During these four weeks we hope to visit as many major cities as possible across the country, bringing incredible live performances of some of the community’s most talented musicians to you.
Bronies have already infultrated so much of pop culture. This first-of-its-kind tour will take us to the next level! If this series of epic events are successful, this tour will become an annual event bringing up-and-coming brony musicians right across North America and into your home towns!
FAQ: What’s a Brony? http://whatisabrony.com

TUE 8/6/13 - MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS
EARLY EVENING SHOW: 
LeaguePodcast Presents: 
Musiquestria Tour - 8 Brony Musicians - All Ages $10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show *NOTE: 5:30pm Doors
Silva Hound
F3nning
Bejoty
Tarby
Poni1Kenobi
Replacer
Donn DeVore
Automatic Jack
TUE 
8/6/13 U: EARLY EVENING SHOW: LeaguePodcast Presents: Musiquestria Tour - 8 Brony Musicians - All Ages $10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show *NOTE: 5:30pm Doors
MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS
472 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge MA 02139
“Musiquestria is a month-long pony music tour spanning the entirety of the United States.”
Musiquestria is a month-long pony music tour spanning the entirety of the United States, from Everfree Northwest in Seattle, WA to cities in the New England area. During these four weeks we hope to visit as many major cities as possible across the country, bringing incredible live performances of some of the community’s most talented musicians to you.
Bronies have already infultrated so much of pop culture. This first-of-its-kind tour will take us to the next level! If this series of epic events are successful, this tour will become an annual event bringing up-and-coming brony musicians right across North America and into your home towns!
—
Publicity / Promotions - Cambridge, MA USA 
PRESS PHOTOS/GIVEAWAYS/MORE INFO:
[email protected]
617-864-3278 x224
mideastclub.com | zuzubar.com
@MidEastClub | @ZuZuBar 

 

 

SUN 8/4 HOMEBOY SANDMAN, @Mike_Eagle, @MegaRan @ChurchBoston #mm #hiphop @rockonconcerts

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BLOGGERS: Weekend Picks Appreciated! Feel free to ask me any questions/requests. Thanks for your continued support.

THIS SUNDAY 8/4 (post-Boston Comic Con)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!
This Sunday at Church LEAGUE PODCAST in association with Rock On! Concerts presents THE DEAR HUNTER TOUR featuring Stone’s Throw artist HOMEBOY SANDMAN, OPEN MIKE EAGLE and RANDOM aka MEGA RAN with local talent Josh H.W., ELEMENTAL ZAZEN (with DRUMMER), newcomers CLINICAL and PRETENSILE.
NOTE: doors changed to 7:30PM

###

Homeboy Sandman’s new record All That I Hold Dear will be released August 6th. The 7-track joint was produced entirely by M Slago, who also produced this track “Easy Does It” featuring YC the Cynic & I Am Many. 
Sand will tour the US in August & September on The Dear Hunter Tour, with Open Mike Eagle and Random. Tour dates below. 
NEW: OPEN MIKE EAGLE 
A stand-out in Los Angeles hip-hop collective Project Blowed for almost a decade, Open Mike Eagle has spent the past nine years rapping and grinding hard. It’s paying off an he’s become the “it” indie-rapper of 2013.
“Open Mike Eagle is Suddenly the Hottest Thing in Indie Rap” - LA WEEKLY 

OPEN MIKE EAGLE On WTF? WITH MARC MARON: http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_406_-_mike_eagle
NEW: RANDOM (aka MEGA RAN) “Doubt Me” video - 
##

Sunday, August 4, 2013 

The Dear Hunter Tour with 

Homeboy Sandman (Stones Throw Records) - http:// www.stonesthrow.com/ homeboysandman/
Open Mike Eagle - http://mikeeagle.net/
Mega Ran (Capcom) - http://megaran.com/
H.W. - http:// longlivehw.bandcamp.com/
Elemental Zazen - https://www.facebook.com/ elementalzazen
Clinical - http://www.soundcloud.com/ clinicalmc
Pretensile
21+ 7:30pm doors
$10 Advance / $12 Day Of Show

[LeaguePodcast & RockOnConcerts Present!]

Tickets at http:// www.RockOnConcerts.com/
ON SALE NOW - http://ticketf.ly/18Wva1a 
http://is.gd/sandmanchurch
https://www.facebook.com/events/345904638870304/

Church (Church of Boston)
69 Kilmarnock St.
Boston, MA 02215
617.236.7600
http:// www.churchofboston.com/ index.html

‘THE DEAR HUNTER TOUR’

“Homeboy Sandman’s new record All That I Hold Dear will be released August 6th. The 7-track joint was produced entirely by M Slago, who also produced this track “Easy Does It” featuring YC the Cynic & I Am Many. “

https://soundcloud.com/ stonesthrow/ homeboy-sandman-easy-does-i t

********************

On the heels of the release of his critically acclaimed LP First of a Living Breed (Stones Throw) and in support of two new projects (Kool Herc Fertile Crescent EP and All that I Hold Dear LP, Stones Throw 2013), his national tour with Brother Ali (Rhymesayers Entertainment), and a headlining tour of Europe, Homeboy Sandman will headline a tour of the US this summer. Open Mike Eagle (Hellfyre Club, Fake Four Inc, Mush Records) and Random aka Mega Ran (officially licensed by Capcom) will support.

Sandman says of the tour, “The Dear Hunter Tour is in promotion of my latest Stones Throw release, ‘All That I Hold Dear.’ I’m blessed to join forces with two musicians also searching for substance, magic, brilliance, love, and truth. We’re going to find them too. When we do, we’re going to share them.”

Kool Herc Fertile Crescent EP (Stones Throw) vinyl/digital relase available now. 8-track release produced entirely by El RTNC (aka Rthentic). The record is an unapologetic homage to old school hip-hop in its bare-bones production, lyrical themes, cover art and even the title. With the blessing of DJ Kool Herc, one of the originators of hip-hop, Sandman pays respect to the pioneering DJ by proudly naming the release in his honor.

HOMEBOY SANDMAN

Homeboy Sandman is a musician. His genre is hip-hop. An emcee that prides himself on musical growth and evolution, he has adopted as his motto and creative mission statement, “Boy Sand like you’ve never seen him before. As usual.”

Before signing to Stones Throw he’d already been chosen as a coach on MTV’s MADE, featured in preeminent print hip-hop rags XXL and The Source, and perpetually championed on foremost online hubs. And since the signing, his accolades have extended beyond the realm of the hip hop specific. Rolling Stone has noted his “skill for wordplay that keeps you hooked.” NPR has highlighted his “artful, hysterical, disobedient hip-hop that you can dance to.” Pitchfork has straightforwardly dubbed him “one of the best pure lyricists around.”

OPEN MIKE EAGLE

“One of LA’s smartest young voices” says the LA Times…which the artist suspects, may just be a covert way of saying LA is dumb. “Open” Mike Eagle wouldn’t terribly mind, being born and raised in Chicago where the painful winters and his uppity grandparents kept him inside as a youth. He spent his formative years watching alternative music happen on MTV and hoping to one day be able to audition for the Native Tongues. As a young adult after graduating with a degree in Psychology, he did the next best thing and moved to Los Angeles,

joining the Project Blowed collective where he made music and toured with Busdriver, Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Nocando and more. He’s also gained notoriety in the world of comedy by being invited by professional funny people (Paul F. Tompkins, Hannibal Buress, Matt Besser/UCB) to rap at their shows. He’d like to be rap’s Kurt Vonnegut

but recognizes that he’d first have to create something as iconic as the four-stroke illustration of an anus. He practices by releasing rap albums that delight, entertain, and confuse.

RANDOM aka MEGA RAN

If you put video games, the 80’s, hip-hop, soul music, jazz and standup comedy into a blender and hit “puree,” you’d have something close to The Random Experience.

The self-proclaimed “TeacherRapperHero” made waves by going way left of his backpack roots by combining 8-bit video game sounds and hard hitting hip-hop tracks, and has become a trailblazer in the budding genres of chiptune and nerd-rap. A Capcom cosign and admiration from the genre’s toughest critics has led to placements in TV, movies, university coursework, and of course, games.

Today, Random is no longer a teacher by title, but travels the world to entertain and educate through the gift of facemelting raps.

********************
H.W.

Boston rapper H.W. dumps his demons - By Martín Caballero | BOSTON GLOBE 

Last July, H.W. (short for “Hazardous Wastes”) released one of Boston hip-hop’s most literate, emotionally complex albums of the year in “Wall Papered Exit Wounds.” Delivered in the lyrically dense and raw personal style that has become his signature, the record quietly distinguished itself from the crowded local marketplace by vividly exposing its author’s titular emotional wounds for all to see, allowing listeners to eavesdrop on his internal struggle for peace of mind. It’s occasionally jarring and hardly uplifting stuff, but his gift for articulating pain is a rare one.
Yet there’s an important piece of context to note with “Exit Wounds”: The material was recorded six years ago, and the H.W. whose emotional turmoil fueled that record is not the same one who’ll be performing on June 5 at The Sinclair in Harvard Square.

“I hated that record,” H.W., born Josh DeCosta, says bluntly over a midday beer at a bar in Central Square. “The only reason I released it is because people told me it was good and I should put it out.”
Naturally, an intensely introspective album in which he struggles to find scraps of optimism within darkness would understandably be difficult to embrace in the same way that a detached listener might. But this isn’t his first release in that vein: “Exit Wounds” built on the foundation of 2009’s “A Year’s Worth of Worry,” where songs like “The End of the Line” established his reputation as a sensitive, emotional lyricist fueled by tumultuous romantic relationships that often ended in heartbreak. In 2013, that’s the reputation he’s working to change.

“It’s unbearable in a way,” says the Fall River native. “I was the guy who did songs about ex-girlfriends, and that’s all it was. And it got sickening being that person. It bothers me in the sense that there are so many more aspects of my personal life. If people talk to me they know that I’m not that person, I’m not that guy who goes home and cries every night and hates myself. I needed something to write about other than that.
‘In the studio I’m hyperly critical and constantly tweaking stuff, while on stage I don’t have enough time to think about it like that.

For someone whose creative output was so closely linked to his state of mind, shifting directions musically first necessitated a change in mentality.

“I based my worth on who I dated, and because of that every relationship was the end-all, be-all. So when those ended, it was devastating to the point that it destroyed by self-esteem. I eventually slowly realized that life doesn’t revolve around relationships. These girls, or these moments in time, as important as they may feel at the moment, are just that. It took a long time for me to understand what I cared about and how to write about what I cared about.”
“I’ve seen him grow and mature as a rapper and a performer drastically,” says longtime friend and DJ Emoh Bettah. “Most, if not all, of his earlier songs were about relationships gone sour or about friendships with ex-girlfriends, and I’d often joke with him about it but since then he’s been writing songs about other topics. His music may be too personal for some, but he does what he does well. All of his songs tell a story and he is just being himself, which is what I think people love about him.”

Yet for a rapper with a highly technical lyrical style and no shortage of things to say (“I think I’m way too personal in general, I’m just an over-sharer,” he admits), it’s surprising H.W.’s output isn’t more prodigious: case in point being the long gap between the recording and release of “Exit Wounds.” Rather than adhering to the modern rap marketing scheme of flooding the Internet with new material via social media in search of approval, he takes his work direct to live audiences.

“On stage, there’s something that clicks within me and I am the person who I am with my closest friends,” he says of his shows, which often find him performing unreleased or incomplete songs and interacting with the audience. “I love that feeling, maybe because it’s the sense of self-gratification that I’ve always sought from everything in life. In the studio I’m hyperly critical and constantly tweaking stuff, while on stage I don’t have enough time to think about it like that.”

That said, you’re more likely to hear H.W.’s musical evolution at an upcoming show before you can get it on iTunes. His next release will be the conceptual album “I Only Exist on the Internet,” targeted for late June release, which should show glimpses of the broader material he’s seeking to explore: topics like politics, environmental issues, and yes, maybe even a party jam. It’s not so much a rejection of the melancholic raps of the past, but an appreciation for their role in getting him to this new, more optimistic place in life and music.
“I’m not the best rapper ever,” he says. “I just would like to be able to display all aspects of myself. There are way more important things to talk about than my feelings on this one person I care about. The world is crumbling around me; there should be something else I’m able to share. A lot of this new album is about liking life, because I actually like life right now. ”
http:// longlivehw.bandcamp.com/

— 
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—
Clay Fernald / Clay N. Ferno
M: +1 (617) 30-COMIC (google voice)
Check out our comic book podcast, LeaguePodcast.com
Check out my comic book culture column at DigBoston.com - EARTH PRIME TIME: DigBoston
Pop culture & comics at Forces of Geek

Triple Shot: THE ROCKETEER & THE SPIRIT #1, ARMY OF DARKNESS VS. HACK/SLASH #1, THE SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #14

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Mark Waid continues his winning streak and takes to the skies by pairing up The Rocketeer and The Spirit;  we get our groovy on with S-Mart employee of the month—housewares, 1999—Ash as he joins the Hack/Slash universe written by Tim Seeley and witness an even more unlikely team-up of Superior Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson in this week’s Triple Shot!

THE ROCKETEER & THE SPIRIT #1
WRITER: Mark Waid
ART: Paul Smith
Publication Date: July 24, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: IDW Publishing / DC Comics
UPC: 82771400477900111
Buy it HERE

Have you also been watching The Aviator on a loop, quoting “Way of the future” and “show me all the blueprints” for the past month? Me neither, that would seriously harm the close relationships in your life. “Bring in the milk”.

A perfect companion (or welcome break) from the OCD Howard Hughes biopic would be the latest in Mark Waid’s take on The Rocketeer, co-starring Will Eisner’s The Spirit, subtitled “Pulp Friction”.


Alderman Cunningham is found murdered 3000 miles away in Hollywood from his home in Central City.

After The Spirit, Denny Colt makes his way to California to investigate, The Rocketeer, Cliff Secord and mentor, Peevy grow suspicious.

The Rocketeer picks up The Spirit for an amazing round of hand to hand combat hundreds of feet in the air, unlike anything seen before!

You’ll have to tune in next month to find out more, as Cliff’s Betty starts to fall for none other than The Spirit!

Mark Waid, ladies and gentlemen, teaming up classic characters and telling the best stories in monthly comic books on the shelves this year.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX

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ept-flashpoint


The most recent Justice League animated movie stars the Scarlett Speedster—The Flash against his most formidable foe, Reverse-Flash (Professor Zoom). Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (July 30, 2013 release date) is an adaptation of the Flashpoint graphic novel from 2011, the precursor to The New 52 reboot of the DC Universe. Barry Allen awakes powerless to find his world is different and there is a disturbance in the Speed Force. He seeks the help of an unfamiliar Batman to right the world. The question remains—is this movie the end of story adaptations for the old continuity? Signs are pointing to yes, as the sequel of sorts, a post-New 52 tale, Justice League: War has already been announced.

The Flash/Barry Allen (voiced by Justin Chambers) certainly has what it takes to star in his own animated feature. He’s even had a two-season archive of a ’90s live action show with an art-deco backdrop of Central City (complete with DC Animation favorite Mark Hamill appearing as Flash rogueThe Trickster). The Flashpoint Paradox sets up a key Barry Allen life event as the ‘Butterfly Effect,’ or as seen in 2009′s Star Trek, the nadir of a divergent timeline. Based on Geoff Johns’ (DC Entertainment’s Chief Creative Officer) book of the same name, Flashpoint splits when Barry uses the speed force to go back in time to save his mother from a senseless murder after a break-in.

Confused? That’s OK. Flashpoint was set up from the company’s initiative to reset all of the DC heroes, and also rejuvenate the characters with familiar but new origins in The New 52.

In order to start fresh, they opted for this Reverse-Flash vs. Flash story, creating The New 52 continuity from quantum strings and vague memories from Barry Allen of the way things used to be.

The real meat of the story is in the divergent timeline, as Barry wakes up drooling on his desk at Central City Police Department, warned by his computer that the end is nigh. He runs outside to see his very much alive mother, with whom he has dinner plans with. Reverse-Flash Eobard Thawne is responsible somehow for traveling back from his time in the 25th century to create this new world.

Flash - Barry Allen from Flashpoint Paradox

Flash - Barry Allen from Flashpoint Paradox

The Flashpoint universe has some familiar faces, but they act very differently here.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents 51 SERIF ST. VOL. 1, DRONES #1, ZOMBIE SPOTLIGHT #1

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Enter the madhouse of 51 Serif St., party with the drone strike infidels ofDrones #1 and tuck in that shirt napkin for a delicious spotlight on zombies in Zombie Spotlight #1 this week at Triple Shot Digital!

The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year.

Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology  curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books. 


51 SERIF ST. VOL. 1,
Written and Drawn by: Horatiu Radoiu
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 54 pages
Digital Release Date: 7/3/13
Age Rating: 17+ only
BUY IT HERE

Horatiu Radoiu’s 51 Serif St. is a dark portrait of a rehabilitation house.

In the style of David Mack, Ben Templesmith and Dave McKean, the artwork is dark and scary. Criminals inside the house have many tales of awful things that they have done, and we find out if crook Daniel Rosdower has what it takes to survive in this madhouse.

Part Arkham Asylum and part horror dreamscape, this book is worth checking out for the macabre storytelling and etherial artwork.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for July 24, 2013




COMICS

 

Grant Morrison caps off his Batman run with this final issue of Batman Incorporated #13. Talia, The Batcave, Damian still dead. Long live Batman and Son! Art by the amazing Chris Burnham. … Star Trek: After Darkness movie tie-in concludes in the producer Robert Orci-blessed Star Trek #23 as Spock is hot with Pon Farr! … Aw Yeah, Green Team Teen Trillionaires #3 by Art & Franco co-stars Deathstroke the Terminator! Being the 1% with a conscience is way hard! #BestFriends4Ever! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

 

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

RED 2 (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

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Review By Clay N Ferno

 
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Screenplay by Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber
Based on Red by Warren Ellis, Cully Hamner
Directed by Dean Parisot
Starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lee Byung-hun, Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, David Thewlis, Neal McDonough 
Summit Entertainment / Rated PG-13


Red 2 brings back Bruce Willis as Retired Extremely Dangerous black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses leading an ensemble which includes Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker.

While original cast member Morgan Freeman does not return to the sequel, we are fortunate enough to have Anthony Hopkins join the ensemble as well as action hero Lee Byung-hun (Storm Shadow in the G.I. Joefranchise).

The sequel is another non-stop action comedy with incredible performances which reassembles the team having to span the globe to stop a long-forgotten Cold War nuclear threat called Project Nightshade. 

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

Triple Shot: BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #18, BLOOD BROTHERS #1, G.I. JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS #5 at FORCES OF GEEK

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This week’s Triple Shot gives us the Batgirl of the future in Batman Beyond Unlmited, a buddy vampire comedy adventure in Blood Brothers and the Dreadnoks return in G.I. Joe Special Missions.


BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #18
WRITER: Scott Peterson
ART: Annie Wu
Publication Date: July 17, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194130753401811
Buy it HERE

Terry McGuinness isn’t the only one suiting up in Neo-Gotham in the future.

In fact, the Bat-Family is extended to a Batgirl and even the original Metal Men. In the current status quo of theBatman Beyond Unlimited series, the police commissioner is none other than original Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, about the same age (probably a bit younger than, actually) as Batman’s mentor Bruce Wayne.

In the Crown Point section of Neo-Gotham, the water supply has been poisoned by a super-steroid.

Current Batgirl Nissa Gibson and Babs team up to take down the Roake Corporation who is spiking the punch. Lots of good action here in this one, as plain-clothed Babs teams up with the high schooler for some big punches and hand to hand combat teamwork. New Batgirl handles herself well, in cocky Batgirl fashion, almost getting herself into too much that she can handle and figuring it out in the end. 

The backup story stars The Metal Men, who have been on ice for decades, after the passing of Doc Will Magnus. Bruce Wayne reassigns them as agents of the Bat-Family, as Bruce, Terry and Nissa take on the Undercloud network. It’s great to see The Metal Men in action, a delightful and anachronistic surprise in this story set in the future.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents BANTAM #1, BROKEN #1, LLOYD AND THE BEAR #1

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Here at the digital ComiXology Submit is the first poultry-based Batman and Robin parody, a twist on the Crime Alley trope and wrapped up with a talking teddy bear.

No, not that one cursing thunder, LLOYD AND THE BEAR is an all ages book!

The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year. Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.

BANTAM #1
Written and Drawn by: Lupi McGinty
Price: $1.99
Page Count: 22 pages
Digital Release Date: 7/10/13
Age Rating: 12+ only
BUY IT HERE

Do you like fart jokes like “pull my finger”?

How about pecker jokes and Batman?

We’ve profiled you as a male between the ages of 12 and 112, and this is the book for you!

The delectable duo face the evil Jerker and narrowly escape the Shake and Bake.

These chickens ain’t chicken enough to patrol the streets of Cockham City!

Funny stuffer-roaster!

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: BEWARE THE BATMAN

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Beware the Batman 2013
The new Batman television show Beware the Batman brings an animated Bruce Wayne and Batman back to the television screen. Historically, the Bruce Timm Batman: The Animated Series has been revered in the comic fan’s eyes, and the 2008 Batman: Brave and The Bold had a lighter, Adam-West feel to the caped crusader. The most recent incarnation is a huge paradigm shift from either of the previous series, moving from cell to computer animation, major character reinterpretations and a b-side rogue gallery. Quite possibly, this is the Man Of Steel for animated shows, driving classic fans away but perhaps appealing to a more general audience for The Dark Knight.

 

Comic fans fear change! From creative teams to character reboots to even the change of the paper being used on a book will spark endless debate online and at the very least fidgets and sighs. We had just gotten used to the campy and sometimes musical Batman: Brave and The Bold and even beaten the button mashing video game, all the while falling in love with that version of the swashbuckling and bearded Aquaman. In Beware The Batman there is a familiarity to the dark tones in both Batman: The Animated Series and The Dark Knight Trilogy.

There are stepping stones into another territory for longtime fans of The Bat in the new series that may endear you to it or have you check yourself into Arkham, driven mad by the seemingly infinite versions of Bruce Wayne and Batman.

 

The series is rendered in the same computer animation style as the cancelled Green Lantern Animated Series and Tron Uprising. If you can let the slick glass look of Gotham and complex architecture of Wayne Manor, The Batcave and the streets of the city wash over you (I watch on a retina MacBook) it leans toward an immersive experience. The fight scenes are well choreographed and fun to watch as the Batman clobbers the bad guys. The Batsuit owes a lot to the Nolan movies, all black, including the bat symbol, save his yellow or brass utility belt. It is a good but not great design of the Batsuit, which saddens me because I like to get excited when Bruce suits up.

Overall, the design and the computer rendering as a choice work for me withBeware The Batman, as I learn to let go of my nostalgia for cell animation and expect more of this from my heroes in the future.

Mr. Toad and Professor Pyg - Beware the Batman

Mr. Toad and Professor Pyg - Beware the Batman

The enemies in episode one are Professor Pyg and Mr. Toad, introduced by Grant Morrison in Batman and Robin. The masked freak and animal (respectively) are of the 99% and also environmental activists, seeking revenge a land deal signed by Simon Stagg and Bruce Wayne that forced many animals from their native wetlands. The Hitchcock-sounding Pyg uses kidnap and murder instead of words to resolve his issues. Toad has a sonic croak, used to break glass and knock his enemies to the ground. Batman gets involved when Alfred is kidnapped by accident (Toad mistakes him for Wayne).

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

Triple Shot: QUANTUM AND WOODY #1, THE SHADOW / GREEN HORNET DARK NIGHTS #1, BATMAN ’66 #1 and #2

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Looking for the hot stuff team-up and sidekick action this week? We’ve got just the thing for your collection. Summer of Valiant continues with Quantum and Woody #1, Batman’s savior Michael Uslan puts The Shadow and Green Hornet in harms way, and by golly, Gotham itself is in trouble again as the Riddler and Catwoman takes us back in time to Batman ’66 #1 & #2.


QUANTUM AND WOODY #1
WRITER: James Asmus
ART: Tom Fowler
Publication Date: July 10, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200310900111
Buy it HERE

“The World’s Worst Superhero Team”

Bros! Just your typical white kid adopted by a black dad and raising his son along with the new kid.

Eric and Woody Henderson grew up together and hey, even stood up for each other on occasion. The boys got into some serious trouble of course, but were close.

Derek Henderson aka Dad was an energy researcher at Quantum Labs.

On his last day of work, he steals away his secret research files and heads for the door—only to be stopped by a large Russian with a hammer and sickle scar on his face! Not good, Dad met his maker and the boys must get together after years of growing apart. Eric joined the military to make his Dad proud, but Woody…became a grifter, stealing what he can to get by. While investigating their late father’s research, they’re caught in a nuclear accident, leaving them glowing and naked on Quantum Labs lawn!

And now, they are prime suspects in their own father’s murder.

Really great start to the series here, Tom Fowler’s art is amazing and fun, matching the quick and funny dialogue. This is really about the relationship between the brothers by way of adoption, and it is an interesting dynamic. I appreciate that, even by the current Valiant Universe canon, with Harbingers and nanite infected soldiers running around, a casual observer from the street calls these guys “the worst” as they fall from a building and it is caught on the news!

You could use the word silly to describe the book, but don’t think of this as a Deadpool type action story, breaking the third wall and dropping pop culture references.

This is more of a funny buddy cop story like Lethal Weapon or Cop Out. The second Summer of Valiant continues on, hilariously, with Quantum and Woody!
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]